Flora of New Zealand Series

rough comfrey

Plant to c. 80 cm tall, very scabrid. Roots becoming very thick. Basal lvs with lamina very large, ovate to oblong; upper side especially densely covered with rigid, bulbous-based hairs; base cuneate to subcordate; cauline lvs similar but smaller, with the narrowly winged petiole not decurrent on stem; uppermost lvs subsessile or with short petiole. Cymes densely hispid. Calyx c. 5 mm long at anthesis; lobes accrescent, extending nearly to base, lanceolate, usually subacute, rarely obtuse. Corolla 12 - 17 mm long, light purple or purplish blue at first, becoming blue, especially when dried; lobes c. 1 mm long, rounded; scales narrowtriangular. Filament width usually < anther width except at base; anthers = or shortly projecting beyond scales. Nutlets 3-5 mm long, finely rugose or granular.

N.; S.: scattered localities from Opotiki (E. Bay of Plenty) to Invercargill, most common in the Hutt Valley and parts of Southland.

S.W. Asia 1944

Waste land and roadsides, uncommon.

FL Nov-Mar.

In S. asperum, unlike S. officinale and S. ֵplandicum, fruiting is prolific.